The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), has called on the Presidency to intervene in the crisis brewing from non-issuance of Air Operator’s Certificate to NG Eagle, the airline being planned by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), saying only this will avert the crisis that could eventually affect the sector, especially the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The union particularly called on the secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Chief of Staff to the President (CoS) to urgently intervene in these matters and facilitate an immediate cease-fire and chart a path to progress on the sensitive issues.
At a briefing at Lagos airport on Wednesday, the Ocheme Abba, general secretary, NUATE said that although, the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the FAAN Branch of Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) had urged the NCAA not to issue AOC to start-up airline, NG Eagle over fear that Arik Air was transforming itself to NG Eagle and would thereby escape its heavy indebtedness to FAAN and other aviation Agencies.
There are also insinuations that the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), the Receiver Manager of Arik Air, was using the assets of the Airline to float NG.
Abba said the only quarter that can put a stop to a chaotic end of Arik Air and stop the desecration of the NCAA is the Presidency.
He also explained that the issue of indebtedness of Arik Air to FAAN and the NCAA is only a smokescreen, adding that the real issue is the politics of a new national carrier.
“Indications are that there is the fear on the side of the Minister of Aviation that AMCON has positioned its new airline, NG Eagle, to metamorphose into a national carrier, whereas the Honourable Minister has been laboring for the past six years to create one which he has named Nigeria Eagle.
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“As AMCON and the Ministry are both agencies of the Federal Government, there is clearly no possibility of the two airlines operating side by side as national carriers. The fear is that if NG Eagle succeeds, then the Nigeria Eagle project would be jettisoned. That means one of the airlines must bulge. This, we understand, is the crux of the matter,” he said.
He insisted that this does not in any way downplay the significance of Arik’s indebtedness to FAAN and others, adding that if anything, it suggests that there is pressing need to find a solution to Arik’s heavy pile of debts.
“The above situation has pitted FAAN and NCAA on the one hand against AMCON on the other hand. NCAA and FAAN are parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Aviation, while AMCON is a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Finance and is also supervised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The two Ministers, the CBN Governor, and the heads of the other agencies are all senior officers of the Executive arm of the Federal government of Nigeria.
” Therefore, this executive fiasco alludes to failure of the executive to put its house in order. This unfortunately paints a picture of a government at war with itself. And if this war is not quickly brought to an end, we fear that the aviation sector of the national economy will suffer dire consequences, especially at this time that the sector is going through a burdensome grappling with the serious negative impact of the receding coronavirus pandemic,” he explained.
Abba stressed that the main purpose of this press conference, therefore, is to call the Presidency which is the apex of the Executive Arm of Government to duty over the issue in order to avert a major mishap in the aviation sector.
“In particular, NUATE hereby calls on the secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Chief of Staff to the President (CoS) to urgently intervene in these matters and facilitate an immediate cease-fire and chart a path to progress on the sensitive issues,” he said.
